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2001-2002 Season
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GAZING INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL… (Thanks to Tony Critchley for this article) In the manner of the various hockey magazines, I thought I'd rate the teams and preview the season. Please note, these are merely the ramblings of hockey-mad fool, and none of this should be taken too seriously, or as a personal insult! I assessed all the teams in four key categories, and then gave them a rating from A to E when compared against the other teams - in other words a C rating means "League average" whilst an A or E rating means amongst the best or worst in the League respectively. As far as an overall team rating is concerned, I also factored in the offensive capability of the defense, plus the checking ability of the offense, plus what I'd call 'intangibles' such as team chemistry and luck. The four key categories are;- Off: The ability of the offense to score Def: The ability of the defense to prevent the other side scoring Goal: The netminding Spec: Strength of special teams - powerplay scoring and penalty killing ability Whilst recent seasons have seen the play-off teams generally coming more from the Viking Division, it would appear that the balance of power has changed. Certainly the strongest offensive teams would now appear to be in the Saxon Division. Saxon Division There's a definite split in the Saxon, with 3 sides likely to be gung-ho offensive sides, whilst the others are more solid at the back, and will rely on trying to keep the score low. It should be an intersting contrast! To my mind, almost any of the sides could make the play-offs, certainly the division looks pretty wide open at this time. Starting with my team…. Blades. Overall: B. Off: C Def: B Goal: C Spec: B Bracknell appear to have a solid blue-line corps led by Al MacInnis and Wade Redden, who can both contribute offensively. Jason Allison, Teemu Selanne and Gary Roberts will lead the offense, bolstered by the arrival of Ryan Smyth from Kingston, but the concern will be the forwards commitment to back-checking and helping out the defense. For the first time in Blades history, the netminding duties seem unclear, although Legace has potential he's not rated as a number one and much will depend on newly acquired veterans Craig Billington (Free Agent) and Mike Richter (Meteors). Golden Seals Overall: A. Off: C Def: B Goal: A Spec: B Fresh from their return to the play-offs, the Jaromir Jagr led Seals will be looking to at least repeat the trick this season. With Sean Burke ahead of Arturs Irbe there is probably no better tandem in the nets in the EHL. Derian Hatcher and Bryan McCabe will lead a physical defense unit whilst Jagr will torment the opposing defense. Much will depend on the sort of help Jagr gets from the likes of Robert Lang, Bryan Smolinski, Todd Bertuzzi and free agent pickup Marc Savard. The concerns in the camp tend to be of the largely one-dimensional type - the Seals perhaps lack an offensive defenseman and will need their forwards to play at both ends. With the goaltending and defense though, expect the Chichester outfit to be very tough to score against. Huskies. Overall: C Off: D Def: A Goal: D Spec: B Scott Stevens, Oleg Tverdovsky, Glen Wesley, Dimitri Yuskevich - a foursome most clubs would be delighted to have gives the Huskies probably the strongest rearguard in the League, especially when there is depth behind those four. The weak link may be behind them, not so much with Manny Fernandez, but his back-up. At the time of writing the Huskies were still searching for another goalie, hence the poor grade. Despite the acquisition of Sergei Federov (FA) and Joe Nieuwendyk (expansion), the offense looks thin. Look for the team to have one of the top penalty-killing units though, with some savvy forwards and the afore-mentioned defense. Meteors. Overall: C Off: A Def: C Goal: D Spec: B Meteors games should be fun to watch this season - they will probably score goals aplenty. The question will be whether they can prevent them, or score enough to outlast their opponents. They have offense in spades - Joe Sakic, Milan Hejduk, Markus Naslund, Brendan Shanahan, Jeremy Roenick, Mats Sundin, Geoff Sanderson and should boast one of the most potent powerplays in the League. A largely stay-at-home group of defensmen led by Teppo Numminen and Mike Rathje will be in front of the returning Ed Belfour, but the defense is not even close to the quality of the offense. And as the adage goes, "Offense wins games, defense wins Championships". Perhaps trading one of the star forwards for a big name blue-liner could address this. However, a change in manager Urwin's notorious poor luck must be due, and now would be an opportune time for it! Nighthawks. Overall: B Off: B Def: D Goal: B Spec: C This rating surprised me, even following the 'hawks Stanley cup appearance last season. Despite the likes of Darius Kasparaitus, Gary Suter and Mathieu Schneider, the D doesn't inspire confidence. However, typically of GM Turner's team these guys will provide a fair proportion of offense as well. Mike Dunham and Tommy Salo look a useful pair between the pipes, but may well find themselves overworked on a regular basis! Up front though Peter Bondra, Alexei Yashin, FA pickup Shawn McEachern, Theo Fleury, Simon Gagne and Martin Straka should provide two potent lines, and like the Meteors the Nighthawks may well be involved in some shoot-out hockey! Zambonis Overall: A Off: A Def: D Goal: B Spec: C You only have to look at the draft to see coach McClymont's thoughts - he's very much looking for the post season and the Z's will do it through offense. Youngsters Jeff O'Neill, Patrik Elias, Shane Doan and Eric Daze already had the likes of Keith Primeau and the ageless Brett Hull to look up to. Now add Mario Lemieux in the mix and this should be an offense to be feared. Dan McGillis and the rugged Dave Karpa are head of the blueliners, although having both Chris Chelios and Adam Foote fit for the whole season would have relegated these two to the second pairing. With CuJo and Patrick Lalime behind them though, there are no worries in the crease. Viking Division This division certainly looks to be more clear cut, even with the outraged Michigan fans now having to watch their champions playing out of Teesside. They should be back in the play-offs this season, with the Maple Leafs providing their toughest in-division opponent. Blues Overall: E Off: D Def: E Goal: C Spec: C This could be a long season for the newly named Memphis Blues, despite first round pick Roman Cechmanek manning the net. FA Alexander Karpovtsev looks like being the leader of an ageing and thin defensive unit. Paul Kariya, Miroslav Satan, Mark Recchi and youngster Patrick Marleau will have to shoulder the burden of the offense, but it looks as though goals will be hard to come by. A succesful season would appear to be anything other than a last place finish. Bombers Overall: A Off: C Def: C Goal: A Spec: B After a first Championsip, what do you do? Certainly you wouldn't expect the team to change GM and coach, move home and allow the Cup winning netminder to leave through Free Agency. But that's what has happened with the former Micigan Dragons, and despite all the upheaval, look for them to be in the play-offs again! Ed Belfour was released to allow young gun Roberto Luongo to take over, with under-rated J-S Giguere for back-up - they could be one of the best tandems in the League. Mattias Ohlund and ex-Flame Ken Daneyko lead a largely unheralded group on the blue-line, wilst Mike Modano, Pierre Turgeon, Bill Guerin, Sergei Samsonov and gnarled veterans Ron Francis and Ray Ferraro form an experienced offensive unit. The relative weakness of the division, plus their championship experience will be major benefits. Flames Overall: D Off: C Def: B Goal: E Spec: C Given GM Quinton's propensity for making trades, it's surprising that nothing has been heard from Foxhall on this front, especially given their acknowledged weakness in net. Both Storr and Thibault, along with the absence of holdout star Eric Lindros, may be too big a handicap to the Viking Division winners of the past two seasons. Chris Pronger and Eric Weinrich will do much of the defensive work ahead of Rhett Warrener and Janne Niinimaa and this is a good front four. But will the multi-national attack fronted by Frederick Modin, Marius Czerkawski, Jonas Hoglund, Michael Nylander, Radek Bonk and Valeri Bure be able to replace the loss of big E? The Flames have never struggled to score on home ice, but keeping the puck out of their own net could be a problem this year. Maple Leafs Overall: B Off: B Def: C Goal: D Spec: A On the cusp of the play-offs last season, they will be in the hunt again this year and have been busy in the Free Agent market during the off season. They could appear to do with an upgrade in the nets though. Like several other teams they have a strong number 1, in Fred Brathwaite, but it is the backup spot which raises a question mark. Ed Jovanovski will provide the offense from a big and uncompromising defence which includes re-signed FA Zdeno Chara, Bryan Marchment and Marcus Ragnarsson. Up front a group of speedy forwards is enhanced by the capture of former Meteor Petr Nedved and the retained Steve Sullivan, both FA's at the end of last season. Add in Tony Amonte, Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla and Stephen Heinze and they sould have two balanced scoring lines. Look also for their penalty killing unit to cause opposing powerplay groups fits, with Sullivan, Todd Marchant and Curtis Brown all being top PK men and also with the ability to score when a man down. Thunder Overall: D Off: D Def: C Goal: D Spec: C The first of the two expansion franchises, who should both benefit from playing in the weaker division. Despite an expansion draft chasing offensive potential, the problem, as with any expansion side, would appear to be the ability to score goals. With playmakers in Peter Forsberg and Doug Weight, they should certainly create some chances, but will the likes of Scott Walker, J.P. Dumont and the seemingly ageless Mark Messier be able to finish them? The two Sergei's - Zubov and Gonchar - should provide some assistance from the blue line, with Kyle McLaren and Mattias Norstrom asked to be the defensive foundations in a promising group. Byron Dafoe and Roman Turek will battle for the number 1 spot in the cage, but compared to the League they are a below average tandem. Perhaps the competition will spur them on. Warriors Overall: D Off: E Def: B Goal: C Spec: C By contrast to the Thunder, new GM James Charters went for the more standard expansion team, lots of hard working defensive types. With Olaf Kolzig in goal for the majority of the season, they should be pretty well served there, and All-Star Niklas Lidstrom in front of him will marshall the likes of promising youngsters Derek Morris and Karel Rachunek. The defense has the potential to be one of the League's better units straight away. The question is, who will do the scoring? There are no stand-out threats in the side so it will need players such as Mike Ricci and Sami Kapanen to turn their output up drastically. But the forwards in general will be pesky, defense minded checkers - possibly the best defensive unit in the League and as a club, the Warriors should be competitive in most games by being able to keep opposing shot totals down. Predictions. So, having probably upset several GM's already, time to predict what will happen in the months to come. Finishing positions;- Saxon: Seals, Zambonis, Meteors, Nighthawks, Blades, Huskies Viking: Bombers, Maple Leafs, Warriors, Flames, Thunder, Blues Play-Offs: Seals, Bombers, Zambonis and Meteors or Maple Leafs Champion: (With apologies for putting any 'hex' on these teams!). My ratings and head tell me that the Seals should win it all, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this may be the Zambonis year. So, having now put foot firmly in mouth, I'm sure most teams will now prove me wrong. If anyone has their own views or comments to make on my random ramblings, please let me have them!
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